


a nickel in the jar

by orphan_account



Category: Kindergarten (Video Games 2017 2019)
Genre: Dangan Ronpa AU, Gen, Post-Game, ted's not dead he's just sleeping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-08-24
Packaged: 2020-09-25 07:37:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20373091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Nickels upon nickels upon nickels, piling up next to the pod that his brother sat in. Only Ted would really get the significance - and that was all that mattered to Felix. / Post-Dangangarten.





	a nickel in the jar

**Author's Note:**

> OKAY THE DISCORD SERVER PUT ME AT GUNPOINT TO POST THIS SO LIKE Y E A H!!!!!!!!  
they're all in a virtual game because we couldn't physically handle the prospect of them all permanently dying

A clatter rings true throughout the room. Sleeping pods glowed a dim, green light. A nickel is placed in an empty glass jar, and there are muffled whispers, directed towards a certain pod, holding a certain man. It is moments before the other stands up and makes his way out.

The next day, there is another clatter. Another nickel in the jar placed atop of the pod. 

Felix Huxley stands beside the pod, a hand gently pressing against the green glass. His expression is somber, eyes glazed over as he stares at the glass, a splitting image of him reflected back into his eyes. His eyes were closed, his blonde hair is swept to the right, his red suit and blue tie immaculate and crisp.

Theodore Huxley, blackened #2 of the High School Killings. Felix’s hands curled into fists, his eyes squeezed shut. Then, he opens them, and he makes his way out again.

The next day, the same thing happens. Every day the twin visits his kin, he places a nickel in the jar and stays quiet for a solemn moment, looking at him - waiting for him - hoping for him. The room was empty otherwise, and Danner believed that it could not hurt anyone for visitors to come; after all, they were _ all _looking for a way to wake up those who had fallen during the failed program - and perhaps visitations will speed up their recovery. 

The SHSL Drug Dealer, Cindy, Ozzy, Ted, Lily, Billy, Buggs, Jerome, Stevie, Carla. All of them, puppetered to do despair’s bidding - and hopefully, when they awake, they would restart their lives in the Neo World Program, a second chance at redemption.

But for now, until they awake, Felix leaves a nickel in the jar, everyday. He was still quiet, of course, merely looking at Ted’s sleeping face: a smile - calm in his lungs. 

Flashes of Ted’s fierce face - flashes of Ted falling to his doom - flashes of a sickening _ CRUNCH _ , flashes of spiders, spiders, spiders, pouncing on him, tearing him apart, from flesh to cadaver to bone to _ atoms _ -

He snaps out of it, sweat dripping down his chin. Felix glances at Ted. No sign of recovery. No sign of waking up.

He placed his hand on the glass again.

“...Teddy,” he began, swallowing a lump in his throat, “H...how… how are you?”

There was no response. As expected, of course, but Felix’s face fell even more, and he continued.

“I’ve been making good work of my therapy sessions with Applegate,” He breathed, “We’ve all… been faring well. I trust that you will be happy to hear about it.”

“Kidd has been eager to help the Future Foundation with others in despair. They’ve been volunteering at every opportunity to go out for recon missions, scouting missions for those out there, trying to survive in this god forsaken world - that took you away from me. They made great work so far. Our numbers are growing every day.”

He pauses, waiting for a response - a response that he knows will never come. He glanced at the jar, an entire glass of silver placed on a desk next to him. Nickels upon nickels upon nickels, piling up next to the pod that his brother sat in. Only Ted would really get the significance - and that was all that mattered to Felix.

“Penny has been with Monty,” he speaks up, “Monty’s - well, he’s diving into his work of upgrading his Alter Ego program. He plans to create an android body for her - something about being more convenient. I think he misses Carla, though. He misses all of you - I miss you, the most.”

“But, yes. Penny has been assisting him with measurements and adjustments. Alter Ego has been keeping him in good company, of course. C - Alter Ego, she is… excellent in keeping the mood light, when necessary.”

Silence rings in his ears. He decides to loosen up, shaking his shoulders free of the weight of having to stand up straight. He leant onto the pod for support, elbrows bracing him on top of it.

“...It’s been months since we survived,” he murmurs, “months since we - found the mastermind - It was Nugget, that digging bastard - he pit us all against each other, watched us kill with no remorse - with _ glee _ … He didn’t even _ care _ for Lily when she died, and he said he _ loved _her -”

“...But, yes. It has been months. Seven months and thirteen days, to be exact.” Felix exhales, closing his eyes, “it has been seven months and thirteen days since we have escaped. Twelve months since you have died. There is not a day I go by without missing you - without turning to you for advice during meetings, only to find an empty space beside my chair.”

He gently picks up the nickel jar on the desk, shaking it in his hands. The sound of hundreds - thousands - millions of nickels, clinking against the glass. He places it back down, hands clasped together. Then, he fumbles through his pockets, pulling out a nickel from his wallet.

“You know, Teddy, about - when we were young, how I brought out a jar and said that if you do something good, I’ll put it in the jar?” He places a nickel inside of it. “I… have decided to keep my word recently. I’m sure you would understand it, though, the jar beside your bed. There should be no requirement to explain it to you.”

Hundreds and hundreds of nickels, resting in a jar. 

“I suppose it’s become more than you ‘doing good’ per se - I mean, you can’t - you’re…” He froze for a moment, flashes, flashes, **FLASHES **-

“...asleep, yes. Asleep, and so - What I’m trying to say is that I have repurposed the jar. I still put in nickels - but it’s to count every day that you’re asleep. Applegate says that I need to do more than just.. _ mope _around and continue running the company - but I’m sure you’d do the same thing, if I was the one in a coma.”

He glanced back at the nickels again. 395 nickels. 395 days. 

A nickel for every day he is asleep. 

A nickel for every day he thinks about Ted. 

A nickel for every day he misses him, a nickel every day he regrets how he _ treated _ him: how he brushed him aside, how he yelled at him and demanded him to do _ everything _for him, how he ignored him at his lowest, how he smiled at his worst. 

A nickel for everyday he regrets bringing Ted into his plans. 

A nickel for everyday he wishes he was the one in a coma instead of him.

A nickel for everyday he _ loves _him.

Felix abruptly stepped back from the pod, wringing his hands together in an attempt to keep himself _ calm _. He quickly rubbed away the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes, quickly stepped on his emotions. No one was watching, but he had to stay strong. 

Everyone else was suffering too, after all. And yet, they kept on going. They kept on working. They looked towards the future, helping others in need, helping each other, helping themselves.

But Felix just could not seem to let go, could he?

“...I will take my leave now. It was… supposed to be for a minute, or two, so I have… overstayed my welcome. Danner will come in to check on you - and the others, as well.”

He briskly walks off towards the exit - but before he leaves, he turned around, staring at Ted’s pod. 

Sleeping Ted, smiling Ted, Ted firmly telling him that he did not have to shoulder the blame, Ted telling him he _ loved _him, telling him that he would do anything for him.

Theodore Huxley, his assistant - and dearest brother.

“Come back to work soon.” He spoke again, his voice loud, but trembling, “Applesoft isn’t the same without you.”

Felix leaves.


End file.
